Representations of blacks in the Campinas’ press in the first post-abolition decade

Abstract

The blacks became victims of representation in the Campinas’ press since the 1870s. If, during the period of slavery, they were portrayed as negotiable products or runaways, it is noted that, even with emancipation, they continued to be stereotyped. I examine how traditional categories of color were racially re-signified and systematically used by local newspapers in the first post-abolition decade, showing that mentions to the black population in the commemorations of May 13 dissimulated the notion of citizenship amidst an extensive list of unfavorable articles to the group.